California legal term
Local emergency in California Criminal Law
Current through 2026 California legislative session
In California criminal law, “Local emergency” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the California criminal code.
What does “Local emergency” mean in California criminal law?
“Local emergency” means a natural or manmade emergency resulting from an earthquake, flood, fire, riot, storm, drought, plant or animal infestation or disease, pandemic or epidemic disease outbreak, or other natural or manmade disaster for which a local emergency has been declared by an official, board, or other governing body vested with authority to make that declaration in any county, city, or city and county in California. (Cal. Penal Code § 396)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.